Absolutely CANDI: Episode 3 - Moving Images

The Physics Lesson

(Song of the scene is up above!)

SCENE 8

Zoe enters the Physics classroom, ready for her lesson.

She looks around the classroom, which is full of boys. She decides to sit by herself, at the front.

The teacher arrives.

Teacher: Sorry I'm late. Just give me a few minutes, and we'll get started. OK?

There is a silence in the classroom, as the teacher notices Zoe.

Oh - you must be Zoe... I thought this class looked a bit different.

Student: Cos she's a girl?

Teacher: Erm... yes.

The students all stare at him.

Perhaps we should get started. Today's lesson is focusing on transformers and how they work.

Zoe begins to think to herself.

Zoe: Ugh - I remember this from last year. This is gonna be so hard.

Teacher: Now, the great thing about A.C electricity is that you can transform it! For instance, you can step its voltage up or down. You should already know that.

Student: Yep.

Teacher: Transformers work on the principles of electromagnetism and electromagnetic induction. Here's how they work...

Zoe begins writing on her notepad, as the other students look bored and disinterested.

A.C in a coil will set up a changing magnetic field in the coil, which will mean that the core becomes a constantly changing magnet. Put a second coil around this changing magnet, or core, and you induce an alternating EMF in the coil. We name the first coil the primary coil and the second coil the secondary coil.

The students start yawning and snoozing while Zoe finishes writing.

The teacher continues to talk until he is interrupted by a phone call.

Sorry - I have to take this one. Please finish writing what's on the board. Thanks.

The teacher leaves the classroom, and two students go to Zoe's desk. The other students watch.

Student 1: What's your name?

Zoe: Zoe.

Student 2: Why'd you do Physics? No girls do Physics.

Zoe: Er, cos I wanted to. Is that a problem?

Student 1: Hey - there's no need to get rude! It was just banter.

Student 2: But that's the thing. Girls are too emotional.

Zoe is offended by this.

Zoe: Oh, really? How do you know that?

Student 2: Cos, they are, innit? You lot cry over things that aren't even that deep.

Student 1: Nah, they cry cos they think it is deep. Even though it's not.

Student 2: So... if I was to do this...

He snatches Zoe's notepad and tears pages out of it. The other students laugh.

Student 2: She'd start to cry?

He throws the notepad to the other student. Zoe tries to retrieve it but fails. The other students laugh at Zoe.

Zoe: Give it back!

Student 1: Exactly. See how vexed she's getting! It's too funny, fam. Too funny!

Zoe: I'm not joking. Give it!

Student 1: Let's see what's in here, anyway...

He rips more pages out of them, including Zoe's artwork.

(mockingly) Oh, dearie me! These drawings are absolutely hideous!

He then scrunches them up and aims at the bin, throwing them. The other students cheer and egg him on.

Zoe: You're gonna regret doing this!

Student 1: Am I? How?

Student 2: Are you gonna start crying?

Zoe: No!

Student 1: You better get used to this treatment. You're not gonna survive a day here.

Student 2: Girls aren't welcome here. Remember that.

Zoe pauses.

Zoe: You know what? Fine. Fine! I'm not gonna last a day here. But if I go, I'm going out with a bang. Literally.

She kicks the student in the groin, leaving him on the floor. The rest of the class is shocked by this. She then grabs her coat and heads towards the door.

She turns back to them.

Zoe: And for the record - girls are better than boys. I quit!

She storms off.